Halloween poses potential danger to kids; Health District offers advice to keep everyone safe  

Halloween means lots of children out on the streets this weekend. On average, twice as many kids are killed while walking on Halloween as compared to other days of the year. Pedestrian safety is not just the responsibility of  drivers; parents can do their part to help kids stay out of the emergency room on Halloween by emphasizing safe pedestrian behaviors before they go out trick-or-treating. Children are especially prone to entering the street at the wrong time because they have one-third narrower side vision, are not as good at judging car speeds, and often can't see over cars and bushes.

Drivers are asked to: drive slowly through neighborhoods where children are out trick-or-treating.

Parents should do a costume check: Can the children walk easily in the outfit? Make sure the masks or head gear allow the children to see clearly what is around them. Be sure they can safely negotiate steps on dimly lit walkways.

Children should be reminded to:

• Look for cars even when an adult is present
• Pick places where there are sidewalks or paths separated from traffic if possible; look for well-lit streets with slow traffic
• Watch for cars turning or pulling out of driveways
• Wear bright colors, use reflective materials
• Use flashlights –  in bad weather, visibility is even more important
• Choose homes that welcome Halloween visitors
• Look for well lit driveways and walkways or paths to the front door